We All Fall Down
by Indy Croft
Summary: You can't win them all (PG-13 for one or two strong words)


We All Fall Down

Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters, which are products of both Core Design/ Eidos and the makers of the Tomb Raider Movie.  I'm just using for my own personal amusement.  

            It was a bitter cold night outside, but in the cavernous room it was sweltering hot.  Sweat was rolling down Lady Lara Croft's firm, chiseled face in large salt filled droplets, but her concentration was so deep on the task at hand that she wasn't even aware.  Her mind was only set on victory.  With carefully steady hands, she reached for that one important block in the small pillar, and began to remove it.

            Lara Croft, esteemed British lady and world famous adventurer, never really feared anything.  She was brave and calm and dashing and proper all rolled into a nice sexy package with two smoking guns almost always at her sides.  Never did she fear death, as close as she had come to it, and never did she fear failure, either.  Winning was something that came to her naturally.  So when the offer was made to her, a challenge that need skill, cunning, and grace under pressure, she couldn't turn it down.  She already had it set in her mind that she would come out on top, as anything less just wasn't good enough for her.

            But for the first time, Miss Croft realized there was a seed of doubt, deep in the back of her mind, that was slowly blossoming into a terrible rotting flower of paranoia.  Because something was happening that wasn't supposed to; the pillar was shifting.  And one wrong move would mean the loss of everything. Her breath tightened in her chest.  Those alluring brown eyes widened in silent apprehension.  So tense her body became that one small sound behind her would send her through the roof.

            Moments passed, tense and thick.  A droplet of sweat splattered to the floor, and again Lara was pulling, carefully, so carefully, and from the background a soft chanting flowed into her ears.  'Oh, no.'  She was so close, she was almost there.  If only she could get that last half inch out, and then everything started to collapse…

            They told her to give up while she was a head.  They told her to let it go and admit defeat.  But she couldn't do that.  There was too much drive, too much determination.  She would win this like everything else.  And it wasn't about the money, not at all.  She never cared about the money.  It was the thrill of the challenge that attracted her.  And it was her pride that kept her from losing.  Her pride.  It was everything to her.  She was nothing without it.  And if she couldn't overcome this, if she failed now, her pride would be torn to shreds, she would be nothing!

            And the block came out with ease, followed by the ease of which her breath left her nearly bursting lungs.  So close, she had come so close.  And carefully, always carefully, she reached up, ignoring the sweat dripping into her eyes, ignoring the suffocating heat that choked the breath from her, blocking out almost completely the chants that could have deafened her if she really listened, she reached and placed the block on top of the pillar, in its designated spot, smiled with triumph as the block set itself with the ease of a feather.  

            But fate had another plan for her.  In her finally moment of blazing glory, the pillar shuddered; it began to sway from side to side, and to Lara's horror, it leaned sharply to the left, and Lara suddenly felt herself falling with it, the chants drowning out behind her as she fell and fell and fell into a void of utter loss and humiliation.

            The blocks toppled to the floor with a clatter.

            "JENGA, JENGA, JEN-Oooh, you knocked it over!" Bryce whined.  "And I had seen the perfect block to pull out, too!"  He sighed with defeat.  "Oh, well.  I guess it was worth seeing her excellence lose," he continued with a playful mocking tone.  "And speaking of worth…" He held out his hand to the silent raider, awaiting the arrival of his winnings from their bet.

            Lara's face was expressionless for a moment before she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small checkbook and scribbled something in it quickly.  She tore the check out and handed it to him.  Then she looked at the game and her face became a frown.

            "Don't take it personally, Lara.  Losing is a very common thing in the world, and it was bound to happen to you eventually," Bryce explained pleasantly as he smelled his check.

            "Yes, I suppose so," Lara allowed as she stood up and stretched.  

            "I hope this doesn't leave you sour, now.  I mean, you should take it as a learning experience," Bryce smiled at her.

            "You know what, Bryce?  You're absolutely right."

            "I am?" he replied in shock.

            Lara smiled at him.  "Yes.  And you know what I've learned from this?"

            "Please, do tell."

            Her hand moved and suddenly wooden pieces and wood dust were flying through the air as Lady Croft riddled her coffee table and Bryce's game with bullets.  The final round was chambered and burst from the barrel, causing the slide to lock back in place, and Lara removed her empty magazine while blowing the smoke from her gun. She winked at him and began to walk away.

            Bryce crawled out from behind the chair he had flipped over when the loud booms of Lara's .45s went off, and stared at the scattered wood chips before him mouth agape, until his voice finally returned.  "MY JENGA BLOCKS!  WHAT IN BLOODY HELL!"

            "I don't like losing."

The end.  Ok, it was brief and probably not very good, but it's been a while since I've written anything and I had an urge for some Tomb Raider silliness.  You don't have to post any reviews or anything, and you're welcome to bash me all I want.  Just thought I'd throw a something a little different into the mix.  Thanks for reading.


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